Date: Mon, 13 Oct 2003 22:12:53 -0700 From: James Leone <linuxcpa@netscape.net> To: fun@thingy.apana.org.au Cc: questions@freebsd.org Subject: Re: *Editing* PDFs? Message-ID: <3F8B85D5.6020907@netscape.net> References: <3F8A6D2F.2090001@thingy.apana.org.au> <20031013123434.GA2368@pref.my.domain> <20031013165931.GA67601@alexis.mi.celestial.com> <1066069316.681.2.camel@tux> <3F8AF70B.60604@netscape.net> <3F8B1EE6.3060904@thingy.apana.org.au>
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fun@thingy.apana.org.au wrote: > On 10/13/03 19:03, James Leone wrote: > >> The only way I have been able to edit existing PDF's is by installing >> Adobe Acrobat 5.0 in Linux by using Codeweaver's Cross Over Office, >> which is available at www.codeweavers.com. > > Which is the original problem :-) I would categorize PDF files in two ways: A. Indirectly editable with other programs if you have the program and data file (LyX, Scribus) B. Unencrypted postscript (PDF provided, no source editor available - See below) C. Encrypted postscript <---- Adobe Acrobat in Wine is the only possibility >> I have been able to combine PDF's and create PDF's out of anything >> printable just by using some basic Unix utilities. I can go into >> detail if someone likes. > > Definitely! Take a look at this post, and its follow up. http://www.linuxsa.org.au/mailing-list/2002-10/1511.html & http://www.linuxsa.org.au/mailing-list/2002-10/1519.html Here is an extreme example, and how much you can do depends upon the condition of the PDF file. Anyway, here is a grand tour of what can be done if everything works right.. :-) Lets just assume that I had a document, written in MS Word emailed to me and I needed to incorporate that into a PDF file as the first page, Adobe Acrobat is unavailable, but Acrobat Reader is installed. Assume I didn't have Open Office. You can save the PDF file as a postscript file with Acrobat Reader. To convert the .doc file, open it with MS Word in Cross Over Office, print it, catch the postscript file before the job finishes, rename it as whatever2.ps. You can combine the two postscript files into one with the method I describe in those emails. Now if you are somewhere else without the .doc file, you can still edit the postscript file(s). Just name the file whatever.ps, then run "ps2ascii whatever.ps," it will produce a text version of the PDF file, called whatever.txt. Edit the text in whatever way you like, use whatever tool you like to print, capture the .ps file.... James Leone
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